Reddit, Imgur Taking Coordinated Action Against NSA Surveillance

The Reset the Net campaign will see some of the world’s largest websites take a stand against mass surveillance on Thursday, June 5.

Websites including Reddit, Imgur and BoingBoing plan to take coordinated action in opposition of NSA surveillance by improving their privacy and displaying splash screens to visitors like virtual protest signs.

Visitors will be encouraged to install privacy and encryption tools, and websites will enable security standards like HTTPS to keep visitors safe from snooping entities. We typically see HTTPS on ecommerce sites, but even websites that don’t hold sensitive information like credit card numbers are encouraged to up their security.

“We can take back control of our personal and private data one website, one device, one internet user at a time,” said Reddit’s General Manager Erik Martin. “We’re proud to stand up for our users’ rights and help Reset the Net.”

Nonprofit organization Fight for the Future is coordinating the campaign. Co-founder Tiffiniy Cheng said, “Now that we know how mass surveillance works, we know how to stop it. That’s why people all over the world are going to work together to use encryption everywhere and make it too hard for any government to conduct mass surveillance.

“There are moments in history where people and organisations must choose whether to stand on the side of freedom or tyranny. On June 5th, the internet will show which side it’s on.”

Powerful words. Powerful, if overly dramatic; but I’ve always been one to love a good rousing speech. Will you join the fight against tyranny?

Source: Reset the Net, via The Guardian